Harvey Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Jose Mourinho

As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans feared a tough match. But such worries vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own combative approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to build a fluent attacking rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they were recovering from sickness and injury each.

Prior to the start, the coaches shared a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Events and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy produced mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the backline, they at first found it hard to generate good chances.

Moreover, the Belgium winger Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an excellent one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot against the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing pace had created consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's early ball into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to pass a ground ball across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an skill to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at half-time.

The first half concluded with the keeper once more saving his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, the match seemed finely balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player set to shift the power balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

Mourinho's winger had already emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and home fans were nervous every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed position. Instead, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, prompting the manager to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing the German centre-forward back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive composure to fire a superb shot past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his chances of securing the team's first European result of the season.